Bull

Al-Asady, et al.

Bull. Iraq Nat. Hist. Mus.

(2014) 13 (1): 81-88

A NEW SPECIES OF GRAPE-VINE LEAFHOPPERS, GENUS

ARBORIDIA ZAKHVATKIN, 1946 (HOMOPTERA: CICADELLIDAE)

FROM IRAQ

Hassan S. Al-Asady*, Abdulbaset M. Amin**, Sara Dasco Younis**

*Department Of Biology,College Of Education For Pure Science,Ibn Al-

Haithm,Baghdad/Iraq

**Department of Hortculture And Forests,College Of Agriculture,University

Of Salahddin, Erbil Province, Kurdistan/Iraq.

ABSTRACT
Among a collection of leafhoppers from Erbil Province in Kurdistan/Iraq, a new species of

the genus Arboridia Zakhvatkin, 1946 was designated and described here as a new species to

the science. The erection of this species was mainly built on the external characters included

the male genitalia. Sites and dates of collections so as the host-plants were verified.

Keywords: Description, Cicadellidae, Homoptera, New species.

INTRODUCTION
The genus Arboridia Zakhvatkin, 1946 (Typhlocybinae:Erythroneurini) contains small,

slender fragile and attractively colored and patterned leafhoppers. It was erected by

Zakhvatkin, 1946. The overall length of males and females ranges from 2.5-3.4 mm. Members

of this genus can be recognized by the inner apical cell of the forewing which is elongated

with oblique base; two prominent circular deep brown spots on the vertex (Zakhvatkin,1946;

Young,1952 and Le- Quesne and Payne,1981). The taxonomic status of this genus in Iraq is

still poorly known, while the only taxonomic works were made by Ghuari,1964 and Al-

Asady,1999 who described with illustrations two new species Arboridia hussaini Ghari,1964

and Arboridia amalae Al-Asady,1999.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A small collection of leafhoppers was collected from some regions of Erbil Province in

Kurdistan District. The specimens were identified on the bases of their external motphological

characters. They were compared with the leafhoppers collection kept in the Iraqi Natural

History Museum. Taxonomic keys were used in the examination and identification such as:

Dlabola(1958) ; Ribaut(1936) and Young(1952).

The genitalia were dissected then mounted and preserved in glycerine. They were kept in

microvial then pinned accompanying to the holotype.

Examination and identification of specimens were done under dissecting stereomicroscope

supplied with squared ocular micrometer for drawings under different suitable magnifications.

Specimens of leafhoppers under study were collected by using sweeping net from grape

trees in different localities of Shaqlawa, Koyia and Kalak of Erbil Province.

A New Species Of Grape-Vine Leafhoppers

Arboridia kurdistani sp.nov.

The name of the new species has been derived from name of Kurdistan District of Republic

of Iraq.

Body:

Small, slender, ground color varies from dusty to light brown with pale yellowish tinge.

The overall length of males and females ranges from 2.3-3.1 mm.

Vertex (Fig.1a ):

Bright yellow, smooth, its anterior margin distinctly arched and slightly protruded

anteriorly away from the compound eyes; two prominent deep brown circular spots

situated along the middle line between the compound eyes; posterior margin convex and wider

than the anterior one; compound eyes large deep brown and some-times with faintly brown

irregular spot.

Face (Fig.1b):

Triangular in shape; compound eyes appear protruded laterally; both frons and clypeus are

smooth and bright yellow; labrum absent; gena elongated and slightly waving along its

external and internal lateral margins including the genal suture; epistomal suture distinct,

lorum enlarged, smooth, pale yellow and cup-like.

Pronotum (Fig.1c):

Smooth bright yellow the anterior margin narrow and approximately truncate; the

posterior margin slightly waving and wider than the anterior one with notch on its middle; two

large deep brown slightly oval spots each one attached to the lateral margin.

Forewing (Fig.2a):

Elongated; its base narrower than the apex which appear obtuse and slightly inclined

internally; corium approximately small and faintl brown; corio-claval suture thick and deep

brown; clavus varies from faintly brown to pale yellow; the inner apical cell much longer than

the median and outer apical cells separately and its base oblique reaching the end of corio-

claval suture; the median apical cell longer than the outer apical cell which is enlarged and

appear bigger than inner and median apical cells; the subouter apical cell faintly brown and

semicircular; the apical third including veins and cell are whitish.

Pterothorax (Fig.2b):

Enlarged varies in colors of spots distributed on mesonotum and metanotum, but in

general each two spots are identical in shape, size and coloration; in mesonotum both

prescutum and scutum are crescent like and the former is much deep brown and wider

meddialy and smaller than scutum; the scutellum is cone like.

Male Genitalia (Fig.3)

Genital Style (Fig.3a):

Elongated; its apex forked in two similar in shape different in size processes, the inner

one is bigger and beak like, while the outer one is smaller; the base of the apical third is

narrow while that of the basal third is wider; the middle third contains enlarged tinge in its

inner lateral margin.

Genital Plate (Fig.3b):

Al-Asady, et al.

Short flattened; its apex rounded; the base obliquely truncate; the inner lateral margin

slightly invaginated in its middle, no spines and bristles neither on the surface nor along the

surface.

Connective (Fig.3c):

Triangular; its apex narrow with small slightly deep invagination; the whole surface

smooth and whitish.

Aedeagus (Fig.3d):

Much smaller; a tubular part slightly narrowing apically to form pointed apex; its base

surrounded by an envelope like chitinized structure, the upper apical end of this envelope is

concave in which the aedeagus resting while its lower basal margin convex bearing a small

tubular process which inters in the invagination of the apex of the connective.

Comparison Notes:

The studied new species is closely related to Arboridia hussaini Ghuari,1964 but it differs

by the following characters:

1.Two prominent spots on the pronotum.

2.The presence of subouter apical cell in the forewing.

3.No anal veins on the corium.

4.Genital plate without spines and bristles.

5.Vertex distinctly arched.

6.No lateral processes originated from the phallaus.

7.The aedeagus smaller, narrow with pointed apex.

Examined Specimens:

Holotype: 1 Male

Paratypes: 4 Males and 5 Females

The holotype and paratypes preserved in the Department Of Invertebrate and Insects/Iraqi,

Natural, Hisrory, Museum, University Of Baghdad.

The specimens were collected by using sweeping net. Sites of collection: Shaqlawa, Kala

and Koyiah, Erbil Province, Kurdistan/Iraq. Dates of collection: 21, 23 and 24 of November

2013.

Host-plant: Vitis vinifera L.

ACKNOLEDGEMENTS
We are very much grateful to the authority of Iraqi, Natural, History, Museum for making

available their collection and library. We would like to thank Asistant Professor Dr.

Razzak.Sh.Augul and Lecturer Dr. H.H.Al-Saffar the keepers of the Cicadellidae collection in

the Department of Invertebrate and Insects of the Iraqi, Natural History Museum for allowing

us in comparing and examination of specimens.

LITERATURE CITED
Al-Asady, H.S. (1999). A new species of grape-vine leafhopper of the genus Arboridia

Zakhvatkin, 1946 (Homoptera:Cicadellidae) from Iraq. Bull. Iraq. Nat. Hist. Mus.

9(1):41-59.

A New Species Of Grape-Vine Leafhoppers

Dlabola, J. (1958). A reclassification of palaearctic Typhlocybinae (Homoptera:

Auchenorrhyncha) Cas.Csl.Spol.ent.(Acta.Soc.ent.cst). 55:44-57.

Ghuari, M.K.S. (1964). A new species of grape-vine leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae)

from Iraq. Iraq. Ann. Mag. Brit. Nat. Hist. Mus. 6 (ser.13) 281-283.

Le Quesne, W.J. and Payne. K.R. (1981). Cicadellidae (Typhlocybinae) with a Checklist of

the British Auchenorryncha (Hemiptera:Homoptera). Handbook For the

Identification of British Insects. 2(2c). Royal Entomological Society Of London.

99pp.

Ribaut, H, (1936). Homopteres. Auchenorrhynqes.I. (Typhlocybinae). Faund De France. 31:1-

231.

Young, D.A. (1952). A reclassification of Western Hemisphere Typhlocybinae

(Homoptera:Cicadellidae). University of Kansas Science Bulletin. 35(1): 3-217.

Zakhvatkin, A.A. (1946). Studies on the Homoptera of Turkey. Trans. Royal. Ent.Soc.London.

Vol.97, 149-176.

Al-Asady, et al.

A New Species Of Grape-Vine Leafhoppers

Al-Asady, et al.

A New Species Of Grape-Vine Leafhoppers
Bull. Iraq Nat. Hist. Mus.

(2014) 13 (1): 81-88

عائلة Arboridia Zakhvatkin, 1946نوع جديد من قفازات األوراق جنس

Cicadellidae , رتبة متشابهة األجنحة Homoptera في العراق.

**و سارة ديسكو يونس **عبد الباسط محمد أمين محمدو *حسن سعيد األسدي

العراق - بغداد/ جامعة بغداد-ابن الهيثم/كلية التربية للعلوم الصرفة/قسم علوم الحياة*

العراق - اقليم كردستان/ جامعة صالح الدين/كلية الزراعة/قسم البستنة والغابات**

الخالصة

تم . جمعت العينات من مناطق مختلفة من محافظة أربيل في أقليم كردستان العراق

أعتمد في عملية . كنوع جديد للعلم .Arboridia kurdistani sp.novوصف النوع

تم تحديد . التشخيص والوصف على صفات المظهر الخارجي مع التأكيد على السؤة الذكرية

.نباتيمناطق و تواريخ الجمع والعائل ال

.وصف, قفازات االوراق, متشابهة االجنحة , نوع جديد : لكلمات المفتاحيةا